


Whats The Use Of Pretending (When I'm Falling For You)

by mako_and_tails_and_stuff (ElfWhoLikesCookies)



Category: Mako Mermaids
Genre: M/M, Swearing, cam doesnt like kids, cam has a crush, tags to be updated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:00:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28867416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElfWhoLikesCookies/pseuds/mako_and_tails_and_stuff
Summary: A lot of people have crushes. Cam included. He just never expected to have a crush on Erik of all people...
Relationships: Cam/Erik
Kudos: 8





	Whats The Use Of Pretending (When I'm Falling For You)

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the second time in a week I've sat and wrote a 4,000 word plus one shot from just coming up with the first sentence. Yet I can't work on my two current, needing to be updated fics...
> 
> It was brought up on tumblr that there is a lack of Cam/Erik fics so here's a Cam/Erik fic. Set during S2E6 'Stormy Weather' when Cam finds out that Erik is a Merman. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Cam never really had a big 'eureka' moment when it came to realising that he liked guys.

It was just a sort of slow realisation going from your typical childhood 'yuck [insert opposite gender here] are disgusting!' to sure, noticing them but never having a girl he really liked in that way everyone else seemed to, and never really caring that he hadn't dated any.

Until some of his friends started dating then it felt he was scrambling to keep up.

But he never really had that big, big revelation that he thought he would. It went from okay girls are cool, to realising he was staring at guys more than girls, then releasing okay maybe he liked looking at both and maybe he was bi. Or pan. Or maybe he was just gay and Society conditioned him to also want to look at girls. Or maybe even asexual and Society conditioned him to think he had to like Someone

Maybe it was the uncertainty in himself that made him not tell anyone. Especially not Zac. He was on the swim team with him and while he doubted Zac would tell anyone - things could get around. If anyone found out he was maybe, possibly, probably into guys... he'd watched too much TV and spent too much time around said boys on the swim team. There would probably some amount of homophobia that he didn't want to be the focus of. Especially for something that may or may not be true about him.

He'd told Nixie though. For some reason. He found himself liking the little Mermaid, had done since he first met her, despite her babbling on about prawns or lobsters or whatever it was, he couldn't remember. Did he like her in a friend way? He didn't feel the same about Evie, or Carly. Not completely true, he'd always imagined something with Carly… Was it actually a crush with Nixie? Who knew? Not him that's for sure. He'd deal with it the same way he dealt with everything that wasn't a life threatening emergency - pushing it to the side and waiting until it became an issue too pressing for even him to ignore.

Then he met new boy in town who just so happened to get a job at the only place he could hang out and not be some loser on his own. That was a crush. For definite. Cam went by the Ocean Cafe everyday anyways, but now there was some new incentive. The guy was handsome... and pretty ripped. And he almost always late to his shifts so Cam would always reassure Erik that it was fine and dandy. It was pretty far from fine and dandy, David hated slackers, but it meant Erik hung around his table a little longer.

Cam sat watching a girl who looked like Nixie through the binoculars when Mick came up and gave him the responsibility of the whole beach. And his son. Ned. The Devil in a child's body. That kid was infuriating as all hell. No respect for authority. Like a little mini Cam. Ned made him feel momentarily sorry for every teacher, babysitter and other person who had to deal with him. Only momentarily. He was still proud of getting kicked out of class for his Michael Jackson reference, even if it was only so Mr Ross wouldn't laugh at him. Santos had been so done with his shit that day but come on what did they really expect? He was Cam. And also a lifesaver with first aid qualifications already.

"Cam."

Cam's heart literally skipped a beat when he heard Erik calling his name. Literally. Like all the romantic bullshit stories and whatnot. He was some sappy heroine in a romantic novel around this dude.

"Hey, you decided to join up. Good man," Cam covered his annoying … excitement? What was that word people used - giddy? He covered his giddiness with a smile and putting his hands on his hips in an attempt at a cool guy pose.

He tried to convince the dude to join him at lifesaving earlier on. He needed the company and Erik's company ideally.

"Uh, I'm still thinking about it," Erik said, "actually I wanted to ask you about Zac."

Of course. All anyone cared about nowadays was Zac. Zac this. Zac that. Zac. Zac. Zac. He was pretty fed up of it. Evie hardly spoke to him because she was always with Zac. Everyone asked why he and Zac never spoke anymore. When did anyone ask about Cam? Nixie had asked about Cam. And then Nixie went and left, leaving little 'Cameron no mates' all by himself.

Cam turned away with a slight shake of his head, "what's there to know? Ex-friend. End of story."

He began to adjust the floating thing he forgot the name of tied to the pole when Ned came up, the little shit.

"Hey Cam?"

Cam turned around and bend forward level with the boy. "Yes, Ned?" There was something about the way the boy held his arms behind his back, like he was planning something Cam most likely wouldn't like.

"I was out of line before," Ned said.

The beginnings of an apology. Nice. Cam straightened up an directed his words towards Erik. "See this is what I like about this job. Respect," as he spoke he levelled himself with Ned again. Most chicks and guys too, didn't dig the uniform. But most, generally of the older age group, a bit older than he'd like, had some modicum of respect for the lifesavers.

"Do you want to say sorry mate?" Cam asked, milking the situation in front of Erik.

"Yeah, I'm sorry you got all wet."

Wet? Wait what? Ned whipped out a water gun from behind his back and squirted water straight into Cam's face.

Cam covered his face with his arms and leaped backwards. "Hey! Don't! Cut it out! Stop it!"

The water stopped as Ned cried out giving Cam enough of a distraction to grab the water gun from Ned. So much for keeping an air of impressiveness around Erik. He got soaked and taken advantage of by some stupid, arrogant, twat of a kid.

"You can have this when your dad gets back," Cam pointed the water gun for emphasis, "now go do something useful and bring those surf skis up."

Ned dramatically groaned and thew his head back before trudging off down the sand. Cam wiped the water away from his eyes. How did the fish chicks deal with salt water in their eyes the whole time? It t'was not a nice feeling.

"What was that about respect?" Erik asked.

Cam looked to the boy, standing smugly, arms crossed and a little model like smile on his face.

Cam sighed and turned away, averting his eyes from the undone top button of Erik's shirt and how very tight Erik's shorts were against his thighs. He tossed the watergun beside the guard chair and leaned back against the ladder, elbows up on the rung, trying to regain his 'cool-guy' facade.

Erik followed him.

"David said that you and Zac used to be buddies," Erik placed a hand on the rung beside Cam's elbow and Cam's stomach turned. What was it with fucking Zac? Did Erik have a crush on Zac? He'd be out of luck, fish boy only went for Mermaids.

"Well," Cam took a second to think, "David's got a big mouth."

It really wasn't David's place to be blabbing to the new guy about his personal business.

"So?" Erik asked slowly, "what happened?"

Cam's attention was drawn away by Ned once again being a little shit, dragging the surf ski up the beach towards them, but right into the path of two chicks chattering away.

"Ned watch it," Cam warned and left his post to stop Ned, but it was too late. He slammed the surf ski into the back of the blonde's leg.

Cam apologised to the girl but her and her friend walked away without much response. Kids. Ruining everyone's day the whole time.

Ned threw the surf ski to the ground, "all right, I'm finished. What do I do now?" The kid emphasised every phrase with what looked like dance moves, finishing with placing his hands on both hips.

Cam looked around for ideas. Anything to get this kid away from him. "Why don't you…"

He saw it. The little boy who's sandcastle Ned wrecked while marking out the beach. He and his mother had relocated a little ways away. "...go help that kid rebuild his sandcastle?"

"Why?"

Why. Why.

"Because you knocked it over?"

Ned threw out his arms in a shrug and pulled a face.

"And because you can show him how it's really done?" Cam continued. Kids like Ned don't respond to good reason. They like to think they're on top. So you manipulate them by using that. He knew this because he was that kid.

"You're an expert right? Didn't you win a sandcastle building competition last year?"

Ned's expression shifted to one of pure smugness, "I beat thirty other kids." He pulled on his shirt, the way a guy would pop a collar or something equally as ridiculous. "I guess I could give him some tips."

Ned ran off, jumping over the surf ski calling out the boy, saying he'd 'show him how it was done.'

Cam put his hands in his pockets. "Putty in my hands," he bragged to Erik, turning around to grin at Erik. The boy was still following him. He wasn't complaining. The unexpected alone-ish time was nice. Except for all the questions about Zac. He could do without that.

Somehow Erik was still with him. So Cam took Erik a little walk along the beach checking on everyone. Somehow every guy had better abs than he did.

"You need to be easygoing in this job," Cam explained, "I try to be everybody's friend."

"Except Zac's. What happened between you two?"

What was up with this guy? He was like a dog with bone.

"You'd have to ask him," Cam answered shortly. He did not want to talk about Zac. It was a nice day. The sun was shining. The waves were glittering. The guy he liked was spending time with him. He was in charge of the entire beach.

And here Erik was ruining it with talk of Zac.

"Not so easy to do when he's always out on Mako," Erik said. "What's so special about that place?"

"I don't know," Cam snapped. "Seriously you'd have to ask him."

Then Ned came up with the cool box filled with water. The cool box they needed to be not filled with water.

"What are you doing with that?" Cam held out his hand to take it from the kid.

"Uh, I need it to fill the castle's moat."

Fair enough. He did shit like that as a kid. But not with equipment other people needed. Well not all the time anyways. There was probably once or twice he had done.

"Well you can't just take it, give it to me," Cam took hold of the rim with both hands and tried to take it from Ned.

"Hey, let go!" Ned pulled back, holding tight to the box.

"Do you want me to tell your dad you didn't behave?" Cam threatened, not giving up his end. Unfortunately neither did Ned.

"Hand it over you little -" Cam yanked the box as Ned gave a smug 'okay' and the momentum caused the box to swing up and cover Cam and Erik in water, the majority soaking Erik's shirt.

Erik froze, arms out and looked up slowly. That look on Erik's face - it was kinda hot in a murderous vampirey way.

Cam apologised as Erik took of running down the beach towards the water.

"Anymore instances like this and I'll ban you from the beach," Cam warned Ned. He wasn't sure he could actually do that but anything to try and get that boy to actually behave.

Ned pointed to where Erik had… disappeared? "Why did he dive in with all his clothes on?"

"Probably couldn't wait to get away from you," Cam immediately retorted. Going into the water with all his clothes? After being splashed? Sounded like Zac…

"Where is he?" Ned looked out over the waves.

Cam did too, looking to see if Erik had resurfaced. "He's got to be out there somewhere."

"He's not coming up. I reckon he's in trouble."

Diving in fully clothed? After being splashed? And not resurfacing? Something smelled fishy.

Cam looked out, waiting for Erik to at least pop his head out to let them know he was all good.

Cam scrambled up the ladder of his chair and grabbed his binoculars, scanning over the surf for Erik. He was a little worried.

"Can you see him?" Ned asked. Who would have thought all it took was some dude getting into trouble to sort the kid out.

"No," Cam admitted," He's got to be out there."

He had too. As a kid, Cam had bitten his nails when he was nervous and now watching each wave come in with no sign of Erik, the old urge rose up.

"I'll call dad."

"No," Cam leaped down. If Ned called Mick, Mick would kill him for letting a guy disappear. "I'll take the surf ski out." Cam grabbed the board and tucked it under his arm and he jogged down to the sea.

He ran through the waves until the water was deep enough for the board to float, ignoring the waves splashing up his shorts, and hopped onto the board on his knees, paddling with both hands into deeper water.

"Erik!" Cam called out.

"Where is he?"

Then he saw it. Swimming under his board. A long, scaly, blue tail. Zac?

Then Erik popped up beside him, taking a hold of his board. "Looking for me?" Erik grinned.

Cam jumped. "You! What is this? Contagious? You've a got a tail too! How?"

How was it everyone he knew was a freaking fish?

Erik laughed and Cam's heart did that stupid skip thing again.

"I've always been like this," Erik answered, still smiling at him. Cam groaned and dropped his head. Fucking Mermen. Fucking Mermaids. Fucking fuck.

"But why didn't you tell me?" Cam demanded. Erik obviously knew that he knew, so why not say anything?

"Just calm down Cam."

He liked how Erik said his name. He tried to breath deeply and get his heart rate down enough that he could actually think.

"Take a breath of I'll be the one rescuing you." That soft tone made Cam feel weak. Being rescued by a Merman wouldn't be the worst thing in the word. Especially not Erik as a Merman.

Cam looked away to hide a growing blush. He'd blame it on exertion if Erik asked. He looked over the beach. The busy, packed beach.

"Get down, people will see you," Cam said.

"Chill okay? I've been doing this a long time."

Erik's hand brushed against Cam's leg and his skin tingled under the touch. Cam sighed exasperatedly.

"Am I the only one around here who doesn't have a tail?" Cam asked, verging on maybe having an actual freak out. Even his fucking high school principal had a tail.

"Like you keep saying, you'd have to ask Zac," Erik mocked him with his own words. Cam pulled a face at him.

"Catch you later," Erik let go of the board and ducked under, his tail sending waves against Cam's legs. He looked around to see if anyone was watching and instead saw his boss climbing the guard tower.

"Ugh, great."

Cam paddled back to shore and run up the sand, dragging the skis behind him to be met with Ned and Mick. This day was shaping up to be truly shit.

* * *

As shit as the day was it was only getting shitter. Mick was pissed at him. Ned was an infuriating arsehole, even for a kid, a full scale search was about to be orchestrated to find a fucking MErMan and now there was a nice dose of an unscheduled storm blowing in.

Oh and there was a helicopter coming too.

Cam set out into the sea with a storm brewing above him. By the time he got into the water - no storm. It reeked of fishy magic. He sat on his board, kicking his legs uselessly hoping Erik would pop up again. He'd take the heart attack and the weird heart skippy thing, anything to get out this stupid mess. He was going to be in so much shit for this.

Back on the beach more life guards gathered. He could hear Mick directing them from here.

The water beside him sploshed loudly and Erik's very handsome face appeared again. He kind of wanted to punch it, kind of wanted to kiss it.

He opted for verbal berating.

"Do you know how much trouble I'm in because of you?"

"I can make it go away."

Cam raised his eyebrows, "how?" How could anything make this go away?

"Follow me," Erik instructed and dove back up in a flash of blue before Cam could argue. What choice did he have? With a glance back at the beach to make sure no one was watching, Cam lay on his belly and paddled after Erik, following the blue and tan under the water.

He followed Erik right the way around the bluff. Erik lead him to the rocks where the Merman hauled himself out and Cam got an eyeful of tanned skin and muscles for days.

"If I'm not back soon, they're going to send a chopper after me," Cam took to pacing as Erik set about drying himself.

"A few more seconds and I'll be dry."

He found Erik's laid back nature funny when it was David dealing with it. Now it just frayed his nerves.

"My first time in charge is a disaster," Cam said.

"They'll soon forget that," Erik replied, ignoring Cam's distress.

"Why?"

"Because you're going to be a hero."

Cam the Hero was a nice title. The walk back with Erik was also quite nice. He had to guide the Merman over wet bits on the rocks and offered Erik his arm to help him down a rock with a rockpool at the bottom. Erik's hand had been warm on his arm and was a nice little highlight of the day.

He heard Ned shouting as they came into view. Zac was there too for some reason… why was Zac there?

Cam flopped the surf ski onto the sand as Mick questioned him about where he found Erik. Well, you see, he was in the sea and wasn't actually missing because he has a freaking tail.

"Well -" Cam began.

"It was my fault," Erik cut him off, "I was swimming too far out and got caught in a rip. Then that storm hit. Thought I was a goner, but Cam found me."

Cam looked to Erik and ignored Zac.

"Dragged me to shore around the bluff and … he saved my life," Erik continued.

He was a good actor. Cam would give him that. It wasn't the truth but the gratitude in Erik's voice made him feel important for once. Cam met Zac's eye and Zac looked away.

"I guess I owe you an apology," Mick said.

"Any lifeguard would have done the same," Cam shrugged it off. Taking credit for something you didn't do is tacky. No matter how good it made you feel.

"Well guys, three cheers for our hero," Mick said. The people around them clapped. Actually clapped. He thought that was just a fake internet story, something cool happens and then everyone claps.

One of the other lifeguards clapped his shoulder and then Erik nudged his elbow with his own. Oh to spend time with Erik right now would be nice. But there was someone else he needed to talk too.

He ran after Zac, catching up to him on the hill.

"Hey Zac?" Zac looked round and then kept walking.

"You could have told me Erik was one of you." The warning would have been nice. So he wasn't left looking like an idiot today. In front of Erik.

Zac just shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah I could have. But I didn't know what you'd do about it."

What in the fuck was that supposed to mean? He wouldn't have done anything. That whole thing with the Trident was ill-judged and a huge mistake. It had been almost three months and no one even looked his way. He'd literally only spoken to Zac to help Evie. The only Mermaid who spoke to him without it being a necessity to speak to him was Santos. His school principal spoke to him more than his lifelong friend. Ex-friend, like he'd told Erik earlier.

"Why'd you think I'd do anything?"

"Yeah, well, that's the thing Cam. I don't know what you'd do anymore."

That… stung. It hurt right to his heart. His poor heart was getting fucking beat today.

"Hey hero. Can I buy a juice for the man who just saved my life?" Cam looked around. Forget him being a hero. Erik stood like fucking superman and he was digging it. Plus he was never one to turn down free food and free juice.

"You're on!" Cam smiled, and turned back to Zac. "See you later."

He was done with Zac. Fuck him. Metaphorically.

"Are things cool between you and Zac?" Erik asked. For the first time Cam wasn't annoyed with the question. He was over this. It didn't bother him one bit.

"Long story," was Cam's only answer.

"I'll spring for a burger too," Erik slung an arm around his shoulder and didn't let off until they reached the cafe. It was a nice, comforting weight over him.

* * *

Cam was nervous. Actually nervous. For some reason. It got worse the closer they got to the cafe. Erik's arm slipped off his shoulder as they walked along the dock on which the cafe sat.

"Inside or out?" Erik asked. It took Cam a second to realise what Erik meant. Sit inside or outside. Outside - it has its benefits but so does inside.

"I'll let you choose. Staff perks - you know where to get the best service."

"Inside it is," Erik grinned. He led Cam through the tables and took a booth seat in the corner opposite the counter. Carly came over as soon as she saw them. Erik choose their seats well.

"So what brings you two here?" Carly asked with a knowing smile.

"Just thanking the man who saved my life!" Erik clapped Cam's shoulder again. He liked it when Erik did that.

Carly raised an eyebrow.

"Yup," Cam smiled at Carly. "Our Erik got himself caught in rip."

"You're the boy lost in the surf?" Carly asked, that eyebrow coming up again.

"The one and only. Would have been gone if not for Cam. He's a hero and heroes deserve a burger and a juice."

* * *

It was a long standing joke that Cam could never get a date. Every girl he asked said no and he'd never asked a guy. From what he knew of dates, this could qualify as one. Erik bought him drinks, juice but still, and one of the Ocean Cafe's classic cheeseburgers while Erik himself had a fishburger.

They'd talked. Cam told Erik an abridged version of how his and Zac's friendship crumbled into nothing and then they went a walk along the beach, up around the bluff. It was slowly getting dark, the last of the sunlight painting the sea golden.

"Talk about deja vu," Erik joked. This was where Erik had lead them for Cam to 'save his life.' He guessed he was lucky it was a Merman who went into the water.

"It was like four hours ago Erik," Cam pointed out. It felt weird being the serious one for a change. He didn't like it.

"Fancy a swim?" Erik asked.

"Now?"

"Why not?" Erik swung his arms forward and dove into the sea. Cam looked around and shrugged. Why not? Cam took a running stride and jumped into the water feet first. He gave up on diving when he quit the swim team. Plus it would just be an embarrassment to try and fail in front of Erik.

The water was cool. It was nicer during the day. Brighter too. There were too many shadows and stinging salt for his human eyes. Erik lightly gripped his arms and Cam let him push him to the surface.

He breathed in nice fresh air and did his best to ignore how the last of the sun rays made Erik's normally blonde hair glow.

"Everything good?" Erik asked, arms still on Cam.

"Too cold for land people," Cam managed to force out.

"You'll be fine once you swim."

"I can't see. Or hold my breath for that long."

"There's a way around that."

Cam raised an eyebrow.

"Close your eyes."

Cam closed his eyes.

"Don't drown me," Cam joked.

"No promises," Erik laughed. Cam tensed up as Erik gently pulled him down under the water. His instincts told him to swim upwards, to surface and breath fresh air. Erik kept a hold of him and Cam tried to relax. A difficult thing to do without oxygen. He liked oxygen. He needed it to live.

Erik lightly touched Cam's chin and then Erik's lips were on his. A sense of calm flowed right over him and Cam inadvertently, definitely inadvertently, kissed him back.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I am a lesbian so I have no interest in guys so if there's anything that could have been done better, let me know XD
> 
> This was started and partially written about 7pm yesterday. The majority of this was then written between 11:30pm and 2am so I apologise for any and all errors in this.


End file.
